


Five Times John, Susan And Talia Had To Prove That Yes, They Really Were Together 'That Way'.

by Adi



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: five things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-07
Updated: 2010-05-07
Packaged: 2017-10-09 08:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/85190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adi/pseuds/Adi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Five Things Meme request from leyenn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times John, Susan And Talia Had To Prove That Yes, They Really Were Together 'That Way'.

1,

"If you are to lead us into battle, my people need to know that you can be trusted with such responsibility." It was the first time Sheridan ever saw Delenn even close to losing her temper. Her words became clipped and her voice tightened. The last thing he wanted was to upset her further, she was his friend and most trusted ally, but he simply could not comprehend what she was telling him.

"Fine, but why drag Susan and Talia into this?" He was grateful Delenn had asked to speak to him in private. If Susan were here there might be damage done, though he wasn't sure to whom. Talia would probably just laugh, she might not do it, but this was the sort of thing she found amusing… actually anything that caused him to blush this shade of red she tended to find rather hilarious.

"It is a sign," and at his uncomprehending gaze she continued, "You are not Minbari," Delenn explained slowly, feeding him her reasons one at a time. "They need to see a connection, a piece of themselves in their leader. It would mean a great deal to them if they could see proof of your triad, especially as it does not seem to be all that common among your kind." She moved closer to him, John pushed away the tingle he felt when she rested her hand on his chest, because that would just be greedy. "Three is a sacred number to the Minbari."

"Aw hell," he finally relented. "Susan's going to kill me."

 

2,

a,  
"Both of them?" The only reason that John didn't roll his eyes was that he was raised to honor his parents, which meant not rolling his eyes at his father even as said parental unit asked the same question for the third time.

"Yes dad," he sighed, and looked out the window overlooking the back porch. They were sitting on the swing, Talia's head on Susan's shoulder, the sun setting in front of them. Suddenly Talia turned and look at him over her shoulder. Their eyes met and she threw him a smile, then Susan turned, looked at Talia, looked at him, smiled too. Then as one they both turned back to the sunset. "Both of them."

b,   
"And this is the guest bedroom." Talia used the smile usually reserved for obnoxious ambassadors and businessmen who didn't understand the word no, a tight smile which hid her clenched teeth.

"It's very nice." Not for the first time she wished she had gone to bed with Susan and John when they had said their good-nights. The night had called out to her and sleep had been the farthest thing from her mind, so she'd stayed. Something that for some reason triggered the host in John's father, and she hadn't able to disentangle herself since "I'm sorry, but the day just caught up with me."

John's father smiled and made to leave, but couldn't hide his surprise when Talia followed him out. After that he seemed to get the point, though as they neared John's bedroom he turned to her trying one last time put their relationship back into a box he could understand.

"The bed in there isn't all that big…"

"Thank you, but I'll be fine. I'm sure we can... work something out." She replied politely as she opened the door.

"So long as you're sure," he said, because from the tone of his voice, he sure wasn't.

"Quite sure," she said and then, gently but very firmly, "Good night."

 

3,

"He is completely smitten." Talia was smiling as she raised the teacup to her lips, teasing Susan because she could, because Susan let her. Susan growled softly in response. "Not that I blame him," she continued with a serious expression, "but for his own sake, someone should talk to him." Susan mumbled something about someone needing to shove something up someone's something, but Talia ignored her. "He's very perceptive; I don't know why he hasn't picked up on it yet."

"He probably thinks it's just a rumor." John said between mouthfuls of breakfast. How he could eat so early in the day was beyond them.

Just then the ranger in question came into view, walking towards them. Talia smiled and leaned across the table, motioning Susan closer with her finger. Susan wasn't really one for public displays, not while she was completely sober anyway, but Talia thought that she might make an exception this one time.

Susan rolled her eyes but took the bait and leaned forward for a kiss. John took each of their hands and smirked. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Marcus stared at the sight, stumbled and quickly moved on. John also noticed the audience they had gathered.

After a few moments Susan tried to pull back but Talia held her close for another moment before letting go. John gave their hands a final squeeze before returning to his breakfast, while Susan glared at anyone who was still foolish enough to be looking in their direction.

"That should take care of it." Talia said returning to her tea.

Rolling her eyes, Susan turned to John. "John, did you know we were sharing our bed with an evil mastermind?"

John swallowed his food and nodded. "I figured that out the day she convinced me that this craziness could actually work."

Susan returned to her coffee and newspaper. "Now all I need is for Corwin to stop looking at me like a love-starved puppy." Behind her teacup, Talia smiled.

 

4,

He was woken by a soft touch on his face. His nose told him 'Susan' and so his heart didn't start to race and there was no panic, just a quick return to wakefulness. He looked at her watching him, her fingers on the bed next to his face where they fell after stroking his cheek.

Her eyes were clear; she'd been awake for some time, watching him sleep. He blinked, trying to figure out what was going on inside her head. Turning over on his side he took her fingers in his hand and kissed her knuckles. Watching as she followed the path of her hand with her eyes.

"Is this really happening?"

Talia was on her other side, sleeping, at least he thought she was sleeping. She would give them this time alone, if she felt they needed it.

There wasn't much room left on the bed between the three of them, but John managed to pull her even closer. Their legs were entwined and he could feel her ankles on the back of his calves, their heads were level and he could feel her breath on his lips.

He didn't know what to say. How could he convince her that this was real, that they were real, when he barely believed it himself?

 

5,

"I will have him back." The woman stood in front of Talia, her posture and voice displaying her confidence, but she reeked of Shadows and Talia was damned if she was going to let her take John. "This… thing you have going on here," she swept her hand dismissively. "It won't be enough to keep him from coming with me."

Talia almost laughed. "You have no idea what we have. You can't. Once, perhaps, before the Shadows twisted your soul, then maybe you might have known. John won't go with you because you're not real; you're just a memory of someone he once loved. I'm real, Susan is real. What we have? That's real, and there's no way you could ever compete."

The woman who used to be Anna Sheridan took two steps toward her. "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you."

Talia bristled, and did something that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Taking the shadow woman by the hand, she showed her. She showed her John's smile whenever she or Susan walked in the room. Showed her shared dinners and quiet breakfasts, sent her the feelings of content and joy which she had never imagined her life could be filled with two years ago. She showed her while constantly fighting off the black tendrils that attempted to corrupt her mind.

She would have nightmares for the rest of her life of those tendrils capturing her and pulling her down to drown in a sea of emptiness.

Somewhere in the back of the woman's mind, Anna Sheridan cried.

The woman left the next day, without John.


End file.
